Etcetera - 2/15/13

Walla Walla High School junior Sonia Calzaretta received the highest award — a gold key — and three honorable mentions in the 2013 Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, according to her father, Dan Calzaretta.

Sonia submitted four pieces of creative writing.

Her gold key story, “Facets,” is now headed to national-level competition.

Since 1923, SAWA has recognized the exceptional vision of the nation’s youths. Each year, increasing numbers of creative teens submit their work in writing, art, photography and filmmaking, Dan said in a release.

More than 700,000 submissions to SAWA have been made in the past five years. Among past winners are artists Andy Warhol, Philip Pearlstein and Cy Twombly; writers Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote and Joyce Carol Oates; photographer Richard Avedon; actors Frances Farmer, Robert Redford, Alan Arkin and John Lithgow; filmmakers Stan Brakhage, Ken Burns and Ned Vizzini and many others .

Once she’s in college, Sonia wants to major n creative writing.

The 2013 Walla Walla High School Agricultural Issues team placed first at the District 6 contest and is now preparing for state competition in May, the Walla Walla Public Schools Week in Review online newsletter reported.

Advisor Arch McHie said the team wants to make community presentations in preparation for the state contest.

This year’s topic is “To Bee or not to Bee,” a study on the impact the new highway will have on the local alkali bee population.

To book the students for a presentation or for more details, contact Arch at 527-3020 or amchie@wwps.org.

Walla Walla High School freshman Cadet Cpl. Alexis Nordman, 15, advanced to her current rank as the Wa-Hi Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Blue Devils Cadet Battalion Cadet of the Month for January.

She was promoted to the new rank after she won the top spot with a total score of 71 points.

She was one of three freshmen candidates who vied for the honor.

The other two are first runner up Cadet Pvt. 1st Class Michael Johnson and second runner up Cadet Pvt. 1st Class Scott Doyle.

They were inspected and examined in oral interviews by a board of four advanced cadets, said Lt. Col. Bill Bialozor, Senior Army instructor for Wa-Hi’s JROTC program.

Alexis joined JROTC because she intends to enter the U.S. Navy after attending a four-year university.

She enjoys reading, writing and listening to music.

Etcetera appears in daily and Sunday editions. Annie Charnley Eveland can be reached at annieeveland@wwub.com or afternoons at 526-8313.